Last week, during a luncheon hosted by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), members of the Chairman’s Club were joined by federal and state elected officials and representatives from the sportsmen’s community to celebrate and recognize thirty years of policy accomplishments through a unique network of state and federal sportsmen’s caucuses.
For the first time in history, founding members from all three sportsmen’s caucuses – Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC), National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC), Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC)-gathered together in an effort to show the bipartisan strength and far reaching achievements that these Caucuses have amassed for the sportsmen’s community for the past thirty years. Along with CSF’s milestone of celebrating its 30-year anniversary, NASC and the GSC are each celebrating their own anniversaries, 15 and 10 years respectively.
Kicking off the lunch, CSC Member and U.S. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise addressed attendees and spoke on the importance of protecting and advancing policy that is critical to ensuring our sporting heritage continues for generations.
“We are not only blessed with abundant wildlife, land, and resources, but also entrusted to protect and conserve them for our children,” said U.S. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise. “Sporting activities like hunting, fishing, and the responsible use of firearms all connect us to our national heritage and sense as an American people. CSF’s work is among the best in Congress. We are indebted to their thoughtful and effective advocacy.”
Following Scalise’s remarks, CSF President Jeff Crane and CSF Board Member Jason Hornady took a few moments to recognize the founding members of each sportsmen’s caucus and presented them with an award as a thank you for their dedication to our sportsmen’s community.
Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus Founding Members:
–Former Governor and U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV)
— Former Governor and U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD)
Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Founding Members:
— Former Representative Dick Schulze (R-PA)
— Former Representative Lindsay Thomas (D-GA)
National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses Founding Members:
— Former State Senator John Astle (D-MD)
— Former State Representative Mike Pitts (R-SC)
“Having all founding members of each of our sportsmen’s caucuses here with us today is an incredible and momentous occasion,” said CSF President Jeff Crane. “Each of these individuals, who are passionate about the sportsman’s way of life, recognized the need to create a network of like-minded policy makers who share CSF’s goals to encourage and allow our sportsman’s community the opportunity to pursue their favorite pastimes.”
To close out the lunch, Jeff Crane announced the rebranding of the Chairman’s Club to the Sporting Society. This enhanced individual giving program now offers multiple opportunities for fellow sportsmen and women to join CSF in their mission of protecting and advancing hunting, angling, recreational shooting and trapping.
Left to right: Former State Representative Mike Pitts (R-SC); Former State Senator John Astle (D-MD); Former Governor and U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD); Former Representative Dick Schulze (R-PA); Former Governor and U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV); Former Representative Lindsay Thomas (D-GA).
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
